Posts Tagged as Tutorials

For home buyers, finding the ‘right’ agent can be a harrowing experience. As the largest investment most will ever make, today’s buyers are keenly aware that the wrong move here could land them in hot water. So those in the know are going to be extraordinarily picky about whom they team up with. Do you have what it takes to earn the business of today’s home buyers?

Five Real Estate Buyers’ Agent Tips for Standing-Out from the Competition

1. Know Your Market
By and large, market knowledge is priority #1 for home buyers. Knowledge not only of current home values, but schools, community stats, area amenities and recreational opportunities, and local ordinances will prove your experience and dedication to potential buyers.

2. Be Responsive
Agents with the fastest response times, up-to-date listings, and current blogs and social activity will move to the head of the pack in today’s digital, on-demand world.

3. Be Honest
Who do you think buyers will be more comfortable having on their side? An agent who glosses over home issues to snipe a sale, or one who points out possible concerns? A broker who is honest, ethical, and not emotionally-responsive is key to buyer comfort.

4. Be a Teacher, Not a Salesman
Home buyers are frequently overwhelmed by the buying process. It may be brand new – or it’s been decades since their last purchase. Being a willing resource and teacher throughout this process can help prove your worth, prevent problems, and reduce buyer stress that leads to last-minute sales snafus.

5. Actually Care
Potential buyers will be quick to leave false sincerities by the wayside in favor of those who take the time to listen to their wants and needs, follow-up promptly, keep their word, and take customer feedback to heart.

Looking for real estate buyers agent tips that pave the way for a smoother journey? Ensure the success of your real estate career with the help of Properties Online today.

Will your neighbors’ millennial children (or your own) ever move out into their own homes? More than 76% of millennials report they’d like to buy a home, and real estate trends correspond with this, pointing to the high traffic volume on online real estate platforms. Millennials want to make a move, but why aren’t they opening the door? The answers are surprisingly simple.

No Dinero
Affordability is a major issue in the vast majority of U.S. cities. With a low to no affordable housing supply, demand has pushed prices into the ‘are you kidding me’ category for a generation who’s battling baby boomers for job positions. Underemployment and fickle freelancing, with its irregular cash flow, are rampant.

Give Me Some CreditGetting credit for a home is likewise tough, and the country’s student loan debt crisis isn’t helping matters. Over 44 million borrowers owe $1.3 trillion in outstanding student loans across the U.S. The average ‘Class of 2016’ student is graduating $37,172 in debt, a number which has risen over the past 5 years.

Could You Hand Me a Band-Aid?
In the long-term, builders (with some incentive from local government), could help heal affordability issues. Added federal programs: (1) may or may not increase access to financing; and (2) find creative ways of dealing with student loan debt. But how can you tap into this market now?

Let the Bidding Begin
More millennials are buying auction properties than any other age group, with market changes breaking down previous barriers to entry. Buyers under 35 are the most likely to purchase a home in foreclosure. Here, marketing such listings to the public via an online strategy can net you great results in the millennial market. With a good listing video, a total online purchase isn’t out of the question for this genre.

Go all-in on the latest real estate trends. Open-up to new opportunities with Properties Online today.

In real estate news, it’s a case of David meets Goliath as a graduate student supporting herself via her website faces off against Internet giant, Zillow.

Meme Me in Court
Kate Wagner’s site, McMansionHell.com, spotlights large, architecturally-icky houses on her site, making memes out of home-listing photos to point out the less-than-stellar features of such ostentatious home fare.

The 23-year-old master’s student from Baltimore, working her way through a thesis in architectural acoustics, stated she was petrified when she received a letter from the real estate database giant just a few weeks ago, instructing her to cease-and-desist using the website’s photos. “It’s pretty terrifying when someone sends you such a letter.”

Tweet This
Wagner posted Zillow’s letter to her blog’s Twitter account, receiving enormous public support – and legal advice – from about 200 lawyers. She then retained Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to represent her, pro bono.

The following day, Zillow’s downtown Seattle headquarters was plastered with colorful signs denoting “MCMANSION HELL FOREVER.” Wagner has earned about $24,000 since her website’s inception a year ago. It’s been her primary source of income in her quest to pay rent, eat, and earn her master’s.

Bad Press is Not Necessarily Better than None
The PR backlash shocked Zillow, who had to perform damage-control on national and local news sites. Vice President Katie Curnutte, Zillow’s head public affairs guru, defended the company, noting that Zillow doesn’t own the rights to most of the photos it uses – it licenses those from other parties. Their exclusive access is allowed under a users’ agreement.

According to Zillow, if they allowed other sites to publish these photos, it would become difficult to obtain them from realtors. Their letter wasn’t intended to be personal and their lawsuit has since been dropped, with the agreement Zillow’s photos won’t be used going forward.

Real estate news a bit scary? Fight the big, bad uglies with the help of Properties Online.

What seller wouldn’t love to maximize the speed of selling their home, alongside the price? Putting a new look on an old battle could help them pull it off. Real estate selling tips looking at home sales from a different perspective – selling the home as a marketable “product” rather than a home – can achieve both these goals.

• Set the stage.
Drive-by shoppers WILL judge a book by its cover, making an instant determination to schedule a viewing with this simple act alone. Your front yard must look beautiful and maintenance-light. Don’t break the budget (new driveways/added garage) – a few new plants, grass, mulch, and a lot of lawn maintenance (raking, weeding, hedge trimming, pressure washing) will do the trick.

• Add a little sparkle and shine.
As opposed to major renovations, which can take a long time, focus instead on simple ways of creating a fresh look. The more “new” a home looks, the better the impression. The more “move-in ready,” the more buyers will pay. Deep clean every corner and crevice, particularly in the kitchen and bath, and reap big rewards. Neatly apply new trim and fresh paint. New moderately priced flooring, and you’ve got a trifecta of marketing potential at minimal cost.

• Move it or lose it.
Little stuff (clutter) prevents would-be buyers from visualizing themselves in the space. It also robs appeal, making spaces appear smaller.

• Make it look good.
Well planned, professional photographs (not amateurish phone snaps) equate to professional marketing materials. With the glut of online shopping, this is not someplace to scrimp.

• Go low to sell high.
Price just a bit low. This makes the home visible to more buyers, enhances your “product’s” bargain appeal, and entices multiple offers, competitive bidding, and a fast sale.

See real estate selling in a new light. Professionalize “product packaging” with PropertiesOnline today.